Trials of Life: part 1, Internal Affairs
by bluegoldrose
Summary: Ever wonder why Ecklie and Grissom don't get along?
1. 1

Ecklie, Catherine, Grissom, and the dayshift supervisor Joseph are gathered in an office. A woman from internal affairs is talking to them; her name is Teresa Johns.

"I don't expect any of you to be happy with this investigation," she was saying. "But I expect all of you to live with it, which, no matter what, you will. I'm not here to get anyone fired; this is a routine efficiency check up. Now since all of you make up the leadership of this lab, you have been told ahead of time, as fair warning.

None of you will be told when to expect my presence, so that at least will be a surprise. None of you are permitted to tell your subordinates of the investigation, but I'm certain that gossip will reach them before long.

That's all for now, have a good day, and you are all dismissed."

As they leave, Ecklie says, "I hope that the office is satisfactory."

"It is," she answered tersely. Then more kindly she said, "Thank you."

They walk out into the hall and walk separate ways. Teresa catches sight of Grissom, and she stops him by calling his name. Upon reaching him, she says, "Hey, can we talk?"

"Sure, how about my office?"

"Alright."

So they go into his office and take seats. He speaks first.

"What is it?"

"Could you even try to sound slightly happy about seeing me again?…Yeah, ok, I get that it wasn't exactly fair of me to leave you like that, but I was hoping to change some of it."

"How?"

"First of all, by saying that I'm truly sorry about what I did."

"I've already forgiven you Tess."

"Thank you Gil, that means a lot…Do you want to talk more, over dinner I mean. It's too odd to talk here In such a formal setting."

"Sure," he said with a half grin.

"Thanks, how about at my place? Less pressure, you can leave when you choose, we can have stir-fry. Nothing special, just two old friends talking and catching up after all these years."

"Were we only friends?" He said incredulously.

"Five o'clock, since you're nights. I haven't moved either…And no, we were much more than friends, but you already knew that."

"I know. I'll see you at five the."

They both smile kindly at each other. Sara is walking down the hall, when she sees them together. She turns the other way, flustered.

Greg sees her, and says, "Hey Sara, what's up?"

"Nothing, what are you up to?"

"Not much, which reminds me, we both have several hours before our shift starts, do you wanna do something?"

"Thanks Greg, but no."

"Are you sure, you don't want to go grab something to eat or anything?"

"No, I have a lot to do, but really thank you, the thought is sweet. See you later ok."

"Alright," Greg replied, rather disappointed. Then she leaves.


	2. 2

Teresa had just finished making dinner, when she heard him knock at her door.

She wiped her hands off on a towel, and then she answered the door. They both smiled at each other, as she waved him in.

"You remembered how to get here."

"Well, I have a good memory."

"I know. Do you want to eat, it just got done, so it might be a little hot?"

"Sure."

So they eat. As they were finishing, their conversation turned away from forensics.

"You are dressed rather nicely, when I told you that this was a simple meal."

"I'm dressed for work. It's not like I'm wearing a suit."

"I know, I'm just teasing…"

They both smile. Then Grissom's smile fell, and he became serious.

"Does your department know about your history at the crime lab?"

"They know that I used to work there, but since it was so long ago, I said that practically no one would know me, which is true. However, they don't know that I dated two of you."

"You were engaged to two of us at the same time. I would call that a little more than dating."

She took a deep breath, and sighed. "I know. What I did to you and Conrad was so wrong. And now he's in control of you, and I can tell that he still hates you. I always thought that him blaming you for my having affairs with both of you at the same time, and then cheating on both of you with a third man was wrong. I know that what I did was totally wrong too."

"It's in the past, you shouldn't let it bother you."

"But it effects you now, because Conrad is over you in authority. When the three of us worked together, I knew that he wasn't a real scientist. He'd be a better politician, which is why, I suppose he got the job. You are a great scientist Gil. You always will be too.

I went out with him first. He used to be kind of charming, but now…he's bald."

They both laugh.

"Any way, we had been dating for about a month, when I started to like you. Then I went out and broke up with both of you so many times during the next year, that I don't remember when I started to date the two of you at the same time.

I kind of liked the attention from both of you. I was so stupid and mean to do that. I didn't realize that then though. I was engaged to you for two months and him for a month when Conrad caught us kissing in the break room."

"That's when he decided to hate me."

"Yeah, but neither of you knew that I had another man on the side. Then you found out, and I broke your heart, and Conrad's, assuming he ever had one. That's when I got a new job."

"Did your other man last?"

"No, we broke up a month later, when I found out that he was sleeping with someone else. I suppose I deserved it. I moved on though, but I never got married. Right now, I don't have anyone, but I'm fine.

What about you? Have you found anyone else?"

"A couple times, but it never worked."

"What about now?"

He looked at her and nodded.

* * *

Sara is cleaning her apartment, when she hears a knock at the door; she answers it, and sees Nick.

"Hey, what are you doing here?"

"I haven't talked to you in awhile, so I was wondering how you are and what you're up to."

She raises an eyebrow. "Right now, I'm cleaning. But you can come in if you'd like."

"Thanks." She allows him to enter, and she shuts the door behind her. They walk into her kitchen.

"Have a drink, take a seat."

So they get drinks, and they sit on her couch.

"You aren't curious about what happened a few weeks back to get me suspended are you?"

"Well…I…uh…maybe."

She smiles. "I'll tell you what I told Greg, I was out of line, but it was fun to tell off Ecklie."

He smiles. "I knew it. You are the only one sassy enough to tell off Ecklie."

"Thanks. By the way, there isn't some sort of bet as to how much information you can get out of me is there?"

"No, of course not. I just miss not seeing you every day."

"Thank you. I miss how it was to work with you three."

"Yeah, but you have Grissom, Greg, and Sophia."

"You miss Greg don't you?" She grins.

"Eh, only a little." He shrugs and then smiles.

She laughs and then her smile fades somewhat. "And I don't think Sophia is all that spectacular."

"Why?"

"…It's complicated, and I'd rather not talk about it."

"Ok, are you sure you don't want to tell me? I would never tell a living soul."

Sara gives him a look that says you really don't want to know. Then she starts to talk.


	3. 3

"Don't worry about it Gil. If you really care about her, tell her. She has to be different from me. You just have to trust her.

I'm going to investigate days first, so your guys get fair warning ok?"

"Thank you…I have to start getting ready for my shift. The dinner was good, and it was good to talk to you again. You look great, and I'll consider what you said."

"Thank you."

So he leaves.

* * *

"Hey Sara, don't worry about it. He'll probably come around, it's just takes time."

"He probably wouldn't love me if I was dying."

"That's not true, he cares about you, more than the rest of us, even Sophia"

He has been hugging her where they sit on the couch, and he brushes the tears off of her face.

"Right. You know, you're only the second person in my adult life that I've told about my family. It's good though, in a way, it means that I'm moving on."

"That's good."

She looks up at him, no longer in tears, but a little suspicious. "Don't you work now?"

"No, it's my night off."

"Well, I work tonight, and I have to get ready, so I'm kicking you out. Thanks for the company."

"Any time, see ya Sara."

So he leaves and she gets ready for work.

* * *

At the end of the next week, Teresa was investigating nightshift. They were the absolute last ones to be investigated in the criminalistics unit. She enters a lab room, where Sara, Greg, and Sophia are sifting through garbage. For awhile, she just watches them quietly, and observes. Sophia looks up and sees Teresa.

"Can I help you?"

"I'm Teresa Johns from internal affairs; I'm just observing."

"Oh, I'd heard about you, so we're the lucky ones who get to be last?"

"Yes, you are."

"Well Greg and I have a car to examine, we're just helping until Grissom comes."

"Well I'm here, so you two can check out the car."

They leave. Sara isn't too happy, but she continues.

"Hello Teresa."

"Gil."

He starts to work. Teresa walks over to Sara, and stands behind her. For several minutes, Sara allows it, but then she says, "Do you mind not watching over my shoulder?"

"Sure, I remember I hated that when I was here."

Sara turns and looks at her. "You worked here?"

"Yeah, it was awhile ago, but I enjoyed it."

"So now you get to decide our fate?" Sara said coldly.

"Don't rush to judgement. I'm not here to fire anyone. I'm just observing alright?"

"Sure." She answered rudely, before returning to her job.

"I have some things to do, but I'll be sure to check with this team later." She said, directing it to no one in particular. She leaves.

Sara glances up at Grissom, who is giving her a scolding look. She glares back with a what's your point look.

"What, I wasn't out of line."

"You weren't very nice either."

"So? It's not like I don't have reasons…Look; I just don't want to lose anyone here. Our team is already gone, and we have a new one, I just don't want it to be separated any more."

"I understand, but sometimes life is about change."

"I guess."


	4. 4

"Gil!" Teresa called as he started to pass her office.

"Tessa, what is it?" He said, stopping in front of her door.

"Do you want to come in here, we have a lot to talk about."

So he enters her office and shuts the door behind him, then he takes a seat.

"I have some questions about your CSI's."

"Which ones?"

"Most of them. There are things in some of their records which aren't elaborated on, and I would like to know why."

"Such as?"

"Well the things that date back to when you first became supervisor over four years ago, I assume you have long since dealt with. Like Warrick gambling on company time."

"That was dealt with then."

"As I assumed. However, now I am seeing several reports about Sara, that go nowhere, yet she is still here. Even with Conrad recommending her termination."

"She was going through some difficult times, I dealt with it." Grissom replied; he was becoming defensive.

With a sarcastic look she replies, "Right. So when she was close to yelling at me earlier, it was no big deal, because you've dealt with her. Whenever one of them messes up, you can't always bail them out."

"You're starting to sound like Conrad."

"Thanks, you know what, I was actually sent here to investigate the supervision of this lab. And from what I've seen, I should recommend the termination of most of you Catherine's focus is too divided, Conrad is making arbitrary decisions which are harming this unit's integrity, and you, you're covering for the mistakes of your CSI's." She was practically yelling at him at this point.

"You're making this personal Teresa." His tone was harsh.

"No Gil, I'm not. I want you to progress as far as possible in your career. I'm just doing my job, are you?"

"Yes," he said firmly.

Her tone softened. "Gil, are you certain? You put the people you work with before anything else, except for the occasional crime. That's not wrong, but if they truly need to be in a different line of work, they shouldn't work here. You can't save the world."

"Is helping my colleagues when they're dealing with stress saving the world?"

"No, but it looks bad on their records if nothing is done about an infraction. I know that you're protecting them, but they need to stand on their own. It doesn't mean that you can't be friends with them, or help them when they're in trouble. It just means that you can't cover up for them, all the time at least."

"Alright, I'll do that. What about Catherine?"

"I'll make a recommendation to her, but unless she is switched to days, I don't see how her situation can be changed."

"That's why she applied for days."

"I know. That means my report can be filed. I will put a notice on Catherine, you and Joseph have been talked to, and I am recommending that Conrad be fired. One of my supervisors will be here later in the year to observe. Just to make sure that my recommendations are founded, and if they are, to see if things have either improved or worsened."

"Thank you."

"It's just my job. It's been really good to see you again. I hope that everything turns out well with you and her. You deserve a good life, I'm just sorry I messed up what we had."

"Don't be, we can be friends again, can't we?"

They both smile at each other, and then she gathers her things and leaves. He leans his back against the desk and stares forward.

* * *

As Teresa is leaving the building, Catherine catches up to her.

"Tess!" Teresa turns around, and sees Catherine coming down the steps.

"Oh, hey Cath. It's good to see you again. I never got to tell you that I'm glad to see you got this job."

"It's a lot different from time last time you saw me. I miss those days sometimes."

Teresa looks at her incredulously. "Come on, you get to wear real clothes now. I kind of miss some of it too. You, Gil, Conrad, and I hanging out at that club." They both start smiling.

"I can't believe how long ago it was, and how young we all were. I was 18, and the three of you were 25. Time flies though. You know, the last time Gil was in there, you broke his heart, and I was trying to cheer him up all night. I think you made him afraid of commitment."

"I know. I can't believe how I acted back then…Would you ever date Gil?"

Thoughtfully, Catherine replied. "Back then, if Eddie wasn't in my life, yes. Now we're friends, and I wouldn't want anything different out of it. Plus, there's someone else I'm thinking about."

"Really, I'm glad." Then she became very serious. "About my report. I think your focus is divided. It's not very serious, but it could become that way. I'm only noting it, it won't be a big deal."

A little surprised, Catherine replies, "Alright, I'll try to improve it. Thanks Tess."

"Alright, well it was good to see you again. Bye Cath."

"See ya Tess."

Teresa goes off to her car, and leaves. Catherine stands there for a little while longer contemplating things. Then she gets in her car and leaves.


End file.
